


Unasked

by fencesit



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:54:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25760161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fencesit/pseuds/fencesit
Summary: Touko's crow brings her a timely warning.
Relationships: Fujiwara Touko & Natsume Takashi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 123
Collections: Battleship 2020, Battleship 2020 - Red Team





	Unasked

**Author's Note:**

  * For [azurrys](https://archiveofourown.org/users/azurrys/gifts).



Touko doesn't buy anything perishable while she's out shopping, and nothing too heavy either, so she takes the long way home and enjoys the cool spring air and the bright sun. It's a nice walk, for the first ten minutes or so, and she even smiles when the crow — the one she thinks of as hers — wings into view with his crooked tail and perches just down the road. "Sorry you had to come all this way to find me," she says to her crow, knowing it's silly but as always full of good, warm humor. It isn't _much_ weirder to speak to a crow than it is to speak to Takeshi's cat, after all. 

Her crow flutters its wings, agitated, and lets out a harsh call. A warning call, almost, like when her laundry had been at risk from the rain...except that she hadn't done any laundry today. 

Everything is probably fine, Touko reassures herself, but when the crow calls its warning again it makes her heart jump in her chest and she quickens her pace from a leisurely stroll to a walk so purposeful it's just short of running. 

It's probably nothing, but better safe than sorry. 

When she arrives, the house isn't on fire and there isn't any forgotten laundry hanging in the yard, but Takeshi is sitting against the front door, listing heavily to the side. His school uniform is muddy in some places, damp in others, and he looks dazed and a little flushed even as he absently pets his cat, which is reclining in his lap. Touko hurries over to him and he lurches abruptly to his feet and sways. 

"I dropped my keys," he reports, possibly seconds from toppling over and definitely not focusing on her as he talks. "I'll — I'll get them back. Or pay for new ones?" 

Touko reaches out — the movement carefully telegraphed so as not to surprise him, even in her haste — to steady his shoulder. "Don't worry about that," she says, because who cares about the keys! "You look like you're burning up...did you fall on your way home? Let's get you inside." 

"I'm just tired, I'm fine," Takashi protests as she unlocks the door. "I'm _fine_ , I just...tripped." 

Nyankichi-kun, sitting at Takeshi's feet because he dumped to the ground when Takeshi stood, meows and makes one of his charming disgruntled cat noises that manages to convey how very much he disagrees. 

Touko disagrees too. She herds Takeshi inside, prepares a bath for him, lays out his futon, sets his uniform to soak, and starts to fill the large hot water bottle to help with the fever Takeshi is definitely developing. It's only then, looking out the window into the yard, that she remembers her crow friend — because he's sitting outside, looking just as alone as ever. 

She looks at him carefully today, and studies the branches of the tree he's perched in. She wants to catch a glimpse of the white crow Takeshi had seen. She wants to know if her friend the crow always has company. Had the crows flown together to find her? If Takeshi had been there, would he have heard two crows calling? 

Touko wonders and wonders, but she won't bring it up. It's not her job to ask Natsume Takeshi questions he doesn't want to answer — it's just her job to take care of him. She'll get Takeshi settled in upstairs, go outside to thank her crow, and take things as they come. 


End file.
